This relates to apparatus for testing and a method of testing the waterproofness of booties and shoes with sock inserts made of waterproof materials.
Booties and sock inserts for shoes made of waterproof materials in which the seams are seam sealed have become popular among many people who are involved in sports and outdoor activities. Many of these products are sufficiently waterproof so that manufacturers offer guarantees to the end users as to their waterproofness and water impermeability.
Traditionally, manufacturers of these waterproof footwear products use time-consuming methods to test the waterproofness of these products. Generally, these methods would require filling a number of pairs of footwear with water and placing them on a dry surface for long periods of time. If there were any gaps in the material or seams, the water would leak out onto the dry surface. One would periodically check the surface to see if there were any leaks. Typically, a manufacturer could not test and get results on more than five to ten pairs of footwear a day.
Although there have been devices made for testing leaks in other articles such as surgical gloves and tires, development has not occurred in testing the waterproofness of footwear products.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,054,204 to McDonald describes a glove testing device. This device is designed to detect holes and needle pricks in surgical gloves. This device requires a glove holder for extension into the wrist end, a clamping mechanism for the wrist, and a vertical adjustable structure. A gas supplying means is also provided to inflate the glove and a bulge preventing element is attached to the holder. The combination is submerged in a body of water to test for leaks in gloves.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,166,439 to Dunnhofer also describes apparatus for testing the waterproofness of gloves. This apparatus consists of a rack with five fingers outstretched in which an adapter is fitted for different treatment devices such as a water device for washing or a compressed air device for testing.